The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Bass Amps & Effects => Topic started by: Aussie Mark on October 31, 2010, 10:35:36 PM
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(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/LuvMusic_photos/ashdownfliptop1.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/LuvMusic_photos/AshFlip.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/LuvMusic_photos/ashdownfliptop2.jpg)
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Oh my... What's it got under the hood?
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If it sounds as good as it looks, that seriously beats Ampeg at their own game!
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Oh my... What's it got under the hood?
It's not listed on their website, but they do show a 30 watt tube bass amp called the Little Bastard that uses a quartet of EL84's. The pictures of the power tube size relative to the preamp tubes seems to indicate this is the same amp in combo form. It should have a VERY different sound than a B-15N.
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Nice! I love my Ashdown.
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Crashdown flop tip?
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that i must try. Ampeg prices have gotten out of hand....
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The only Ashdown that ever managed to impress me is the BTA400. With eight KT88 powertubes it is a real tonemonster.
I'm afraid the rest of the Ashdowns just don't do it for me...
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Did you notice they've redesignated the BTA series as hybrid and have a new tube amp called the Small Block 427?
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(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/LuvMusic_photos/AshFlip.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/LuvMusic_photos/ashdownfliptop2.jpg)
Shouldn't that amp be sitting on Dadagoboi's table?
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/RNR/BoomTable-1.jpg)
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For my budget I'm happy with my MAG300 - does what it sez on the tin
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30 watts? Puh-leeze....really? That's what I don't like about b-15's. Not nearly enough power for bass. Hope that's not right.
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30 watts? Puh-leeze....really? That's what I don't like about b-15's. Not nearly enough power for bass. Hope that's not right.
What? Do you mean that you don't subscribe to the "correct" theory of bass stage amplification that all bass amps should be only small monitors with your super-powered line array run by a tonedeaf guitar player wannabe handling all the "ting" of your frets and the "click" of the strings??? Next thing you'll say is that a bass sound should have audible low end and punch...crazy!!! :mrgreen:
Seriously though, EL84 bass amps are very rare. Traynor made a combo, the YBA-2 Bass-Mate which had two later iterations, the "A" and "B," and that's the only one I can think of. It's a very unique tone: think AC30. For what it is, it's refreshing to see this twist on the the B15 formula. Ashdown has some big-boy tube bass amps, too. It's ironic that the Trace Elliot remains are now more "Ampeg" than Ampeg.
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speaking of volume, i saw an early picture of the patti smith group where someone was miking a pignose. wonder how that sounded.
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Did you notice they've redesignated the BTA series as hybrid and have a new tube amp called the Small Block 427?
Yes, I've tested and reviewed the new BTA 400. Very impressive amp. But way too heavy for my hernia... ;)
Would love to hear that 427.
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speaking of volume, i saw an early picture of the patti smith group where someone was miking a pignose. wonder how that sounded.
Link Wray probably would have dimed the Pignose and loved the result.
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Check out Elton John's "The Bitch is Back", Dee has a second bass track thru a Pignose.
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Yes, I've tested and reviewed the new BTA 400. Very impressive amp. But way too heavy for my hernia...
Do you have a link to the review? I'm extremely curious about that amp.
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Curse you Ashdown for coming up with more things to tempt my gear fetish!!
How I love you soo!! ;D
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speaking of volume, i saw an early picture of the patti smith group where someone was miking a pignose. wonder how that sounded.
IIRC, Michael Schenker used a Pignose to record the Lights Out and Obsession albums. Can't find too much fault with that guitar tone...
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speaking of volume, i saw an early picture of the patti smith group where someone was miking a pignose. wonder how that sounded.
Here's a clip of Zappa playing through a mic'd pignose:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q0nImsfMvE
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Ohhhh that looks cool!
I wonder how it sounds..............and how much it costs!
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Do you have a link to the review? I'm extremely curious about that amp.
It was published in the Dutch magazine De Bassist. How is your Dutch? ;)
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It was published in the Dutch magazine De Bassist. How is your Dutch? ;)
It depends on how well Google translater does. :rimshot:
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Okay here we go. Goodluck Buck ;)
Bruut, bruter, bruutst
Ashdown BTA 400
Ashdown komt met een hele dikke basversterker; de BTA 400. BTA staat voor Big Tube Amp. 400 staat voor het aantal (buizen)watts wat ie aan vermogen levert.
Om maar meteen met de deur in huis te vallen, het is allemaal een beetje overdreven. Het gewicht is een serieuze afweging als je deze amp zou willen kopen. 37 kilogram is geen kattenpis. Misschien ben ik een slap papventje, maar van mijn auto tot aan de voordeur gebruik ik toch liever een steekwagentje. En 400 watts buizenpower is méér dan wat iemand zonder gehoorbeschadiging nodig heeft.
Okee, tot zover het gezeur. Het ding ziet er robuust uit. Aan de bovenkant zit een metalen rooster. Hier doorheen zie je de acht(!) JJ KT88 eindbuizen zitten in een soort U-opstelling. In het midden zitten drie ECC 82 buisjes (ook van JJ). Aan de voorkant treffen we het karakteristieke Ashdown halve maanvormige VU metertje. Dat ding werkt eigenlijk als een soort tweede beeldmerk. Verder ontgaat mij het nut er van eigenlijk als ik eerlijk ben. Waarschijnlijk om ervoor te zorgen dat je de solid state voortrap niet over z'n nek jaagt? De BTA 400 is namelijk een omgekeerde hybride. Dat betekent geen buizen voorversterker en solid state eindtrap. Maar precies andersom; de voortrap is solid state en de eindtrap buizen dus.
Sub-harmonics en compressor
De rest van de lay-out van het voorpaneel is ook geheel in de Ashdown traditie; er zit wederom een subharmonics optie op. Een ingebouwde octaver zeg maar. Leuk, maar niet echt nodig. De tracking gaat goed tot de C op je A-snaar. Daaronder raakt ie de koers kwijt en gaat je toon "omklappen". Ook bekend van andere Ashdown basversterkers is de ingebouwde compressor. Die vind ik niet lekker werken. Ik laat hem snel voor wat ie is.
Kanonne
Als je alle toonregeling op twaalf uur zet (dus de knoppen recht naar boven gericht) klinkt de amp een beetje wollig. Maar, geef je de Middle knop een flinke zwaai en draai je het Treble een tikkie open dan komt er een monster tot leven. Echte vintage brute (eind)buizensound. Met geen pedaaltje na te bootsen (écht niet SansAmp fans!). Kanonne, wat een sound!!
Net niet
De valve-drive knop kennen we ook van de ABM. Maar de BTA heeft een buizen eindtrap en met het gebruik van deze valve drive functie in de voortrap wordt het dus feitelijk een soort full tube. Maar ik vind het een "net-niet" functie. Aangedreven door een zielig klein naamloos "made in China" 12AX7 buisje binnenin, onbereikbaar en onzichtbaar voor de normale gebruiker. Het zal wel niet de bedoeling zijn dat je die zelf even gaat vervangen? De oversturing die je met deze valve drive maakt, klinkt dun en schreeuwerig. Waarom zou je die in Godsnaam gebruiken als je met de toonregeling de amp al tot een prachtige brute sound kunt krijgen?
Veel
Deze Ashdown doet me in veel opzichten denken aan de Ampeg SVT II Pro. De solide uistraling, de ingebouwde DI, de mute knop, de effectsloop, de keuzeschakelaar voor actieve of passieve bas, zeer uitgebreide toonregeling door een combinatie van parametrische en grafische equalizing, line -in en line out.
En last but not least; het gewicht. Alhoewel de Ampeg ietsje lichter is, en "maar" 300 watt levert.
Heb je wat aan de 100 watt extra? Ik betwijfel het ten zeerste. Zelfs op de grote podia is het raadzaam om het volume een beetje op de medemuzikanten af te stemmen, anders moet -voor je het weet- de hele band over de monitors worden weergegeven en dat werkt nooit fijn.
Wat wél fijn is dat je met dit apparaat headroom ohne ende hebt. Je zult deze Ashdown niet snel tot het einde van zijn kunnen krijgen. Tenzij je een seismologisch onderzoek wilt gaan verrichten...
De Ashdown BTA400 ziet er prachtig uit; erg "Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow" zeg maar. En ik vind de Ashdown bijzonder lekker klinken en het bedieningsgemak is zeer aangenaam. Maar ik heb net afgelopen jaar mijn SVT II Pro de deur uit gedaan omdat mijn rug het gezeul beu was. Dus deze Ashdown BTA400 laat ik aan me voorbij gaan.
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..to the internet!
Brutal, brutal, brutal
Ashdown BTA 400
Ashdown bass amplifier comes with a very thick, the BTA 400. BTA stands for Big Tube Amp 400 is the number of tube (s) what he watts of power supplies.
To go straight to the door down to business, it's all a bit exaggerated. The weight is a serious consideration if you would like to buy this amp. 37 kilograms is big here. Maybe I'm a weak papventje, but from my car to the front door I prefer to use a trolley. And 400 watts of tube power is more than someone without hearing needs.
Okay, so far the whining. The thing looks robust. At the top is a metal grid. Here you can see through the eight (!) JJ KT88 power tubes are in a sort of U-shape. In the middle are three ECC 82 tubes (including JJ). On the front we find the characteristic crescent-shaped Ashdown VU meter. This thing actually works like a second mark. Furthermore, the usefulness of it escapes me as I really am honest. Probably to make sure you get the solid state does not have to kick his neck hunting? The BTA 400 is an inverted hybrid. That means no tube preamp and solid state amp. But exactly the opposite, the stage is solid state and tube amp so.
Sub-harmonics and compressor
The rest of the layout of the front is very much in the tradition Ashdown, there is another option on Subharmonic. A built octaver say. Nice, but not really necessary. The tracking goes well until the C on your A-string. Whether he gets lost and the price goes up tone "flip". Also known by other Ashdown bass amps, the board compressor. I do not find good work. I let him fast for what it is.
Cannons
If you put all tone controls set at twelve hours (so the buttons straight up) the amp sounds a bit woolly. But you give Middlesbrough a big button swing and turn the Treble that little bit open then there will be a monster to life. True vintage brutal (end) tube sound. With no pedal to mimic (not really SansAmp fans!). Guns, what a sound!
Just do not
The valve drive button, we also know from the ABM. However, the BTA has a tube amp and using this valve function in the drive stage is thus actually a kind of full tube. But I think it's a "just-not" function. Powered by a pathetic little unnamed "Made in China" 12AX7 tube inside, inaccessible and invisible to normal users. It probably will not be the intention here is that you replace them? The overdrive you with this valve drive makes sounds thin and loud. Why the hell would you use your amp with the tone control has a beautiful sound can get brutal?
Many
Ashdown this makes me in many ways reminiscent of the Ampeg SVT II Pro. The sound emitting, built-in DI, the mute button, effects loop, the selector switch for active or passive bass, extensive tone control through a combination of parametric and graphic equalization, line in and line out.
And last but not least, the weight. Although the Ampeg slightly lighter, and "only" 300 watt supplies.
Do you know what the extra 100 watts? I doubt it very much. Even on the big stages, it is advisable to adjust the volume a bit like the fellow musicians tune, otherwise, before you know it, the whole band are displayed on the monitors and that never works fine.
What is nice is that with this device have headroom ohne income. You will not soon Ashdown this to the end of his can get. Unless you want to conduct a seismic survey ...
The Ashdown BTA400 looks beautiful, very "Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow" so to speak. And I think the Ashdown particularly good sound and ease of use is very pleasant. I have just last year my SVT II Pro out of the door made it because my back was tired gezeul. Thus this Ashdown BTA400 I let me pass.
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Hilarious!
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But you give Middlesbrough a big button swing and turn the Treble that little bit open then there will be a monster to life
I'm sold. always wanted to try this
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It's hilarious to translate something from like Dutch to English, than to German and back to Dutch. Nice for song kyrics in pop quizzes!
:D
Any experiences with the Little Bastard?
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I have the Little Bastard at home at the moment. This afternoon I tried it out with an Ampeg 4x10. It sounds gorgeous. I'll come back to you with a full review!